Agitator



March 12, 1929.

AGITATQR' Filed Oct. 16, 1926 Patented Mir. 12; 1929.

" -UNITED STATES or srnntmo, rumors, assrenon ro warn. cmrrnn coaromrroir,

or srnanme, rumors, A ooaroae'rron or rumors LEO J. WAHL,

1,705,162 PATENT- OFFICE.

.serra'ron.

Application filed October 16, 1926. Serial No. 141,984.

invention relates to agitators and has for its object the provision of means whereby the contents of a receptacle may be suitably agitated.

More particularly my invention is adapted for use in preparing mixed drinks such as are sold at soda fountains. It is customary in p the. preparation of such drinks to place the ingredients, some of which are in liquid form, into a receptacle and thereafter to agitate the contents of the receptacle until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed.

It is an object of my invention to provide a simple and efficient means for accomplish- 1' ing this result. I have found by experiment that a thorough agitation and mixture of such materials may be obtained by the use of a rapidly oscillating elementwhich may be actuated by any suitable means,-the preferred form of actuating means being an electromagnet supplied with alternating current of the customary frequency of about 60 cycles per second. h v

One difficulty that has been manifest with this type of device is that of, getting a sufiicient length of agitating arm in order that it may extend to n'ear'the bottom of the receptacle without producing an arm the inertia of which is too great for eflicient operation. One

object of my-invention is to overcome this difficulty by placing the support about which the arm oscillates as a fulcrum'betw'een the agitating'end' and the end to which the 'o'scillating force is applied.

Another object of my invention is to pro.- videan oscillating agitator that will cause rapid movement of the contents of the receptacle in a direction'transverse to t of oscillation of said agitator. A still further object of my invention is-to place the agitator at the most advantageous position in the receptacle for causing rotation of its contents and still retain the oscillatingarm near the zone oflowest speed of the contents.

the direction Other objects of my invention'as will ap-- pear from the description thereof are the im% provement of the means for supporting the receptaclethe contents of which are to be agitated, the provision of a novel reinforced agitator and the provision of a novel means forpermitting air to approach the bottom of the receptacle and aid in the-mixing of, contents.

resents an upright standard having secured at the top thereof a frame member 5 by means of the screws 6 or other suitable means, this member 5 which serves as a support .for the operating mechanism of the agitatorconsists of a bar of metal having the-upright. portion 7, horizontal portion. 8 and the upright portion 9 formed by bending the bar of metal. The upright 7 extends to a greater height than the portion 9 and has secured thereto the core 10 of an electroniagnet.-. This core may be made up inthe usual manner of a series of laminations and has a pair ofleg portions surrounded by the coils 11 and 12. Secured to the upright member 9 by means of screws -l4 is aflat vertically extending spring memher 13. This spring member has secured at the upper end thereof an armature 15 which co-opcrates with the end portions of the core of the electro-magnet and forms the moving element of. the electro-magnetic vibrator.

Secured to the spring 13 on the side of the armature 15 is an arm 16 which extends out: wardly and downwardly from the spring 13 so as to be spaced outwardly from the screws 14 to permit of a. limited movement .toward and away from member 9. This arm 16 is adapted to extend downwardlyinto a receptacle and is provided with an outstruck rib '17 extending throughout the greater portion 7 of 1ts length. This rib. serves to strengthen the arm 16 which is of .relatively thin material and serves another purpose which will be referred to later; At the bottom of the arm 16 it is provided with an offset portion 18 having secured at the outer end thereof by 1 rivets or other suitable means agitator blade 19 and the reinforcing plates 20 and 21. As clearly shown by Figs. 2 and 3 this blade 19 extends horizontally'in a. direction perpendicular to the portion 18- and has theflat sides thereofilying in substantially vertical planes. This blade and the reinforcing plates 20 and 21 are made of resilient material, preferably such material as spring steel, whereby they may give under lateral pressure providing a path whereby air from abovevthat the li uid is rotating away from the; rthermore that the lower. end

opposite sides from the blade 19 and thus 5 serve to stiffen the blade particularly at the point where it is secured to the portion 18. Upon operation of the electro-magnet the arm 16 and spring 13 will be caused to vibrate o and froabout the point where the spring 13 is secured to the member 9, and this vibration will in turn cause a" rapid to and fro movement of the blade 19, and when this blade is inserted in the receptacle 22 having the usual mixture of materials to be agitated for forming a. drink, such as malted milk, it Wlll set up currents in the contents of the receptacle in a manner to be hereinafter described. The blade made flexible to a certam degree, will have an action similar to that of a fishs tail when propelling the fish through the water; that is the outer or free end of the blade 19 will, due to the pressure of the liquid thereag'ainst, lie somewhat behind the secured end thereof and have a tendency to slap or drive the liquid outwardly and rearwardly away from the blade. The current set up by this action will be directed by the curved surface of the receptacle into acircular pat-h, thus setting up a rotation of the liquid in the receptacle.

Since the speed of vibration of the arm 16 is very high when the electro-magnet isjoperated from the usual 60 cycle alternating current supply, it is obvious that a rapidrotation of the liquid in the receptacle will result. The purpose for making the arm 16 of a thin blade-like form is to cause it to have the least amount of resistance to the liquid -when itis vibrated since,-as shown, it is vibrated in an edgewise direction. Furthermore the construction is such that the arm 16 extends almost centrally of the receptacle 22 lying' forming a recess 29 in the side of the arm..

This recess serves a very-useful function in the receptacle may creep downto the bottom of the arm and become mixed with the liquid content ofthe receptacle. It has been found by experiment thatdueto the fact recess and or the arm is swinging through a greater distance than the upper portion thereof, a suction will be created downwardly along the recess which. will draw the airjto the bottom of the receptacle insufiicient uantities to aerate the liquidto the desired egree.

I Thereceptacle 22 is supported upon the monies standard 42 and the frame 5 in a novel manner by means of rubber knobs or pins. The type of receptacles most widely used in the drink mixing businessh'ave an upwardly extended pending from the overhanging portion of the.

frame 5 are the rubber knobs 2? and 28 spaced on opposite sides of the arm lfiland secured to the portion'8 by screws or other suitable means. Thus a receptacle may be hooked the rim on the bottomthereof can be hooked over the arm 16 and pressed upwardly until over the knob 25 and then the receptacle may be allowed to tip outwardly against the knobs 27' and 28 where it will rest securely.

T have also provided a novel means for throwing the vibrating mechanism into operatio'n, which consists of a pin 30 extending through an opening 31 to the hollow interior of the-standard 4. This'pin is mounted upon the spring 32 which'is secured to and insulated from the standardl in any suitable way, the pin 30 being also" insulated from the spring 32. Secured .tothe upper end of the spring 32 is a contact 33 which is connected by means of the conductor 36 to the coil 12,

This contact 33 is pressed inwardly! by the receptacle engaging the pin 30 intoengagee ment with the seco' d contact 34 which is:

secured on the spring 35, also. insulatingly mounted on'the standard a. Contact 34 is secured to the lead 37extend1'ngto a source of u current, the other side of this source being connected by the'lead 38 to the coil 11 which is electrically connected to the coil 12. Thus it will be seen that when the receptacle 22 is removed pin 30 will be allowed'to move outward and break the contact between members and 34 and stop the vibratory mechanism.

" Means for adjusting thespacing between 4 the electro-ma provided and t is consists of the pin 39presset and the armature has been ing againstthe free end of the member-.9 and having at its other end the screw 40 which is screw-threaded in the member 7 and has milled head 41 at the outer endthereof for armature. A lock-nut 42 is also provided for locking the screw in thedesired position.

-While I have described one form which my invention may take, I wish it to be clearly 116 i Y adjusting the same to increase or reduce the. distance between the electro-magnetand the understood thatI do not intend to limit my 7 self to the exact details shownand' described, but that I intend to avail myself of all suchmodifications as would occur to one skilled in this art'and as comes within the scope of the;

claims.-

- I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A device of the character described comprising an arm having agitating means at one end adapted to be inserted in a receptacle for agitating the contents thereof, vibrating mechanism including an electro-inagnet at the other end of said arm for causing it to vibrate and means intermediate said agitating means and said mechanism for supporting said arm. I

.2. A device of the character-described comprising an arm having an agitating means at,

one end thereof, vibrating mechanism at the other end thereof for vibrating. said arm and a support for said arm intermediate said v1'- brating mechanism and said means.

3. A device of the character described having a downwardly extending arm, vibrating mechanism at the upper endof said arm for causing said arm to vibrate, means spaced below said mechanism for supporting said arm,

the lower end of said aim being laterally oilset and an agitator secured to said offset end.

4. A device of the character described hav ing a downwardlyextending arm, vibrating mechanism at the upper end of said arm for causing said arm to v1brate,means spaced be-. lowsaid mechanism for suporting said arm, the lower end of said arm being laterally offset and a resilient agitator blade secured to said ofl'set end.

5. In a device of the character described having a downwardly extending um a aptedto be inserted in a receptacle and mechanism for causin said arm to vibrate in ar direction transverse y of its axis, an agitating blade the contents thereof, and means forvibrating said arm, a flexible a tator blade secured to said arm, said flexib e agitator bein s'tifi'er near the end which connectsto the vi rating arm. I 8. In a device of the character described having a downwardly extending arm adapted to be inserted in a receptacle for agitating the contents thereof and means for actuating said arm, said arm eing laterally ofiset adjacent its-lower end and moving to and fro in the direction in which it is offset, the offset portionnf said arm having a flexible agi-tating blade at the free end thereof.

9. In a device of-the'character described havin a downwardly extending arm adapted to e inserted in a receptacle for agitating the contents thereof, and means for'actuating said arm, a thin resilient agitator blade secured to said arm and a resilient reinforcing plate secured to said blade and arm and ex' tend-ing outwardly from said arm along said blade. 1-

10. A device of the character described comprising a support, an arm. depending from said support adapted to have a portion thereof inserted in a receptacle for agitating the contents of said receptacle and means for vibrating 'saidarm in a direction transversely, oflits length, said arm having an elongatedq eccss in one side thereof extend- M ing substantially throu bout the lengthbf V the'portion to' be inserte in'the receptacle.

11. In a device of the character described comprising a support, a thin substantially fiat arm carried by said support adapted to extend into a receptacle and having means at thelow'er end thereof toagitate the contents of said receptacle and means for rapidly swinging said arm edgewis'esto and fro about said support, said arm having an elongated recess extending along one flat side thereof. .12. A device of the character described having in combinatiomasupport, a spring having its lower end secured to said support,

spring comprising an armature secured to ing therewith, an arm depending from said spring and armature adapted to' have the lower portion thereof inserted in a rreceptacle and agitatin' arm for agitating t e contents of said receptacle, said arm and armature'being adapted to rotate back and forth around the secured end of said spring as a center. a

- 13. A device of the character described having in. combination a support, a spring having one end secured to said support, electrosmagnetic' means for vibrating I said spring comprising-an armature secured to said spring and projecting above its point of support and an electromagnet cooperating therewith, an arm depending from the arma-.

ture, said arm adapted to have the lowerpor- 'electro-magnetic means for vibrating said said spring and an electro-magnet cooperat- I means carried-by said tion thereof-inserted in a receptacle and a resilient'agitator blade secured to the lower end of said arm for agitating the contents of said receptacle. Y i

14. A device of v the character described having in combination a" support, a spring spring and an electromagnet' cooperating therewith, an arm depending from said, spring adapted. to have the lower portion thereofinserted in a receptacle and anagitator blade extendin at right angles to said arm for agitating t e contentsof said rehaving one end secured to said support, elec-- tro-ma-gnetlc means for vibrating said spring- .comprising an armature secured to said i ceptacle, said arm moving in one direction when the armature moves in the other about the secured end of the spring as a center.

15. In a device of the character described 5 having a downwardly extending arm adapted to be inserted in a receptacle for agitating the contents thereof, and means for vibrating said arm, a flexible agitator blade secured to said arm. and a reinforcing member se- 19 cured to said arm and supporting said blade.

' memes 16. In a device of the character described having a downwardly extending arm adapted to be inserted in e receptacie for agitating v the contents thereof, and means for vibrnting said arm, a flexible agitator blade secured to said arm and reinforcing members secured to the opposite sides of said blade.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 5th day of October A. D., 1926.

LEO J. WAMJ. 

